Turkey Gravy

This recipe comes from Steve and Brooke Sahlin. I'll include Steve's notes here. We'll be doubling the recipe.

Use butter in the roux instead of turkey drippings. As for the low sodium Chicken broth, use “Better than Bullion” chicken stock and mix with water (use about 6g per cup of water. For the wine, use a Chardonnay. Do not salt the gravy until the stock is reduced, as the salt taste increases as the stock reduces.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
A high-roast turkey doesn’t yield drippings for a gravy. To develop our gravy recipe for high-roast butterflied turkey, we roasted carrots, onions, celery, and garlic to build flavor. We then simmered the roasted vegetables with white wine and chicken broth to finish the stock. For a rich flavor, make a roux with flour and butter and then added the stock to the roux.

MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART

To roast the trimmings and vegetables, it’s best to use a roasting pan that can sit on the stovetop. If you don’t own one, a broiler pan bottom will work; when setting it on the stovetop, however, use medium heat instead of high heat and add only half the amount of chicken broth before scraping up the drippings; add the other half of the chicken broth to the saucepan along with the wine.

INGREDIENTS
Reserved turkey giblets, neck, and backbone, hacked into 2-inch pieces
1 medium carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 rib celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 small onions, chopped coarse
6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
3 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth (two 14 1/2-ounce cans)
2 cups dry white wine
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
Salt and ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place turkey trimmings, carrot, celery, onions, and garlic in large flameproof roasting pan. Spray lightly with cooking spray and toss to combine. Roast, stirring every 10 minutes, until well-browned, 40 to 50 minutes.

2. Remove roasting pan from oven, and place over burner(s) set at high heat; add chicken stock and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits on bottom of pan with wooden spoon.

3. Transfer contents of roasting pan to large saucepan. Add wine, 3 cups water, and thyme; bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until reduced by half, about 1 1/2 hours. Strain stock into large measuring cup or container. Cool to room temperature; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until fat congeals, at least 1 hour.

4. To finish gravy, skim fat from stock using soup spoon; reserve fat. Pour stock through fine-mesh strainer to remove remaining bits of fat; discard bits in strainer. Bring stock to simmer in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. In second medium saucepan, heat 4 tablespoons reserved turkey fat over medium-high heat until bubbling; whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until combined and honey-colored, about 2 minutes. Continuing to whisk constantly, gradually add hot stock; bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with turkey. (Can be refrigerated up to 3 days; reheat in medium saucepan over medium heat until hot, about 8 minutes.)